Discharge planning is an important part of your care plan. At the earliest opportunity, you and your health care team will begin planning for your discharge. This helps to ensure that supports are in place, if needed, when you leave hospital.
Most patients return home when they are discharged. If you need more care, your health care team will discuss available options with you. Our goal is to get you back home, where you can make a decision about the future if required. Once you are settled at home, you and your family can take the time you need to talk about your changing needs and your plans for the future.
If you have any questions about discharge planning, please talk to your health care team.
All Ontario hospitals must promptly discharge patients who no longer require their care. When the patient is deemed ready for discharge, the patient shall be required to leave. This ensures that medical services and beds are available for those in greatest need of acute care. The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care has specified that when a discharged patient refuses to leave a hospital, the hospital stay becomes uninsured. The hospital will then charge the patient a per diem rate.
